Recently, arriving at Lingshui’s Xincun Port, Italian photographer Fabio Nodari took a boat to the “floating village” of the local Tanka Boat People to experience local customs and food.
Italian photographer Fabio Nodari photographing fishermen at Xincun (Photo: HIMC)
Floating in neat rows lined up throughout Xincun Bay, the fish farms of Lingshui's Tanka Boat People are one of Hainan's unique cultural sites. In all the coastal regions where the Tanka live, although most of them have moved onto land over the past 50 years, they are known for depending on the ocean for their livelihoods. The rustic wooden boards and nets of the more than 400 households whose rafts make up this on-water village were extremely attractive to Italian photographer Fabio Nodari.
Italian photographer Fabio Nodari photographing Tanka fishermen at Xincun (Photo: HIMC)
The Tanka Boat People first came to Hainan from the southeastern coast of China over 2,000 years ago. Throughout the regions where they have settled (both on the island and the mainland), they have always relied on the ocean for their livelihood. With restaurants and guesthouses being added to the roster in recent years, they are generally known for open water fishing, fish farming and raising oysters for both meat and pearls. Similar to Mr. Nodari, common tourists who visit Xincun often speak of the attractiveness of the Tanka's maritime culture and deliciousness of their food.
On the rafts that make up the floating village, Mr. Nodari took many photos of Tanka busily engaged in feeding fish, maintaining equipment, and mending nets.
Birdseye view of Xincun Harbor (Fabio Nodari)
A safe harbor like Xincun provides the Tanka with the ability to maintain their maritime lifestyle while also living close to land. This provides them with economic opportunities such as the ability to open restaurants, sell handicrafts, and run boat tours. “Sitting on the deck of a floating restaurant and eating fresh seafood is an unparalleled experience,” said Mr. Nodari.
Tanka Rafts (Fabio Nodari)
(Sponsored by the China Internet Development Foundation and jointly organized by Hinews and the Hainan International Media Center)
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